Electric switch



April 23, 1929. p, LU R 1,710,173

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 21, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet i April 23, 1929. M. P. LUTHER ELECTRIC SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 2 1, 1927 law/5R I April 23, 1929. M. P. LUTHER 1,710,173

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 21, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MARTIN F Lu THER Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

MARTIN IP. LUTHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO OF CHICAGO, ILLINOI, A CORPORATION SUPER- SAFETY SWITCH CO., OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SXVITCH.

Application filed March 21, 1927. Serial No. 177,137.

My invention relates to electric switches, and has more particular reference to a multiple or gang switch, and the manner of arranging and operating the principal elements thereof.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a switch wherein the parts are arranged in a box so that the fuses are posi-' tioned to be conveniently and readily handled for removal and replacement, and in which the live portions of'the structure are positioned so that they would not injure an ordi nary careful person working 'abontthe box. Another object resides in the arrangement or disposition of the operating elements of the switch upon the sides of the box-in as flat a. position as possible so as to leave the bot tom and central portions of thebox clear of such parts'for the installation of the conductors or cables which latter, in high-powered circuits, are of large proportions and camber-'2 some to handle and install. The arrangement such as I-have herein disclosed permits tion proceeds, and it is proposed to accom plish the several objects and to carry out my invention in substantially the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particu larly pointed out in the claims. I now refer to the accompanying drawings for a more complete understanding of my invention, which drawings form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a view looking into the switchbox with the door or cover opened and the parts of the switch drawn in plan.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the parts in opened andclosed positions, the latter being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3, is a transverse section taken on line3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4, is a fragmentary sectional view on line H, Figure 2, showing the detailed construction .of the operating switch blade and the spring clip for the fuse element.

. Figure 5 is-perspective of one of the spring contacts; v I

The drawings schematically illustrate a preferred or typical embodiment of my invention, and for convenience I have employed similar reference characters to designate like parts wherever-they appear throughout the several views. 1 This switch is of the enclosed type, being contained within a metal box that consists of longitudinally'disposed parallel side walls 5 and 6, connected at their ends by oppositely disposed end-walls 7 and8, and therear edges of all of said walls are connected'to a rear or back wall 9. A cover or closure in the form of a metal door 10 is connectedby hinges 11 to the-outer edges of the side wall 5 and means may be providedzto lock or latch the door when c'losed'to preventtampering or med 1 dling with the switch by unauthorized persons.- Plates of insulation 12 cured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 5 and 6 and are substantially the height thereof but slightly less in length than the respective walls, and a plate of insulation 14 is preferably placed against the inner surface of the back or rear wall 9 which plate is of substantially the dimensions of the adjacent wall. Thus the interior of the box is iusw lated at all places that are contiguous to the live parts of the switch that liability of shortcircuiting is prevented.

The preferred manner of operating the movable parts of the switch is by means of a rock shaft 15 that is preferably of rectangular section where it extends between the side walls of the box and its ends are reduced and are of cylindrical section as at 16 for journaling the same in the side walls 5 and '6. One end of the rock shaft passes through the side walls 6 and is provided with suitable operating mechanisnu-which includes a swinging lever or handle 17. At points slightly spaced from the side walls 5 and 6 said rockshaft has lateral arms 18 secured to it, the outer ends of which are formed into apertured bosses 19, while their opposite ends are provided with bifurcations 20 that are positioned and 13 are se'-' spaced flexible arms or leaves 25 as illustrated tact upon wall 5 will aline with :a spring con' stitutes the stationary element of the switch,-

and is preferably mounted in the lowerporits'blade, then through its fuse to the oppothe upper portionof the sidewalls are braxile in Figure 5. There are a plurality-ofthese spring contact-s upon the side walls 5 and G of the box and the same are arranged in pairs upon said opposite walls, so that each contact upon Wall v6Q Studs .26 project from blocks 22 through apertures in the spring contactsand :nextsaid contacts there are spacing washers 27: while the flattened lateral ends 28 of tubular terminals 29 are mounted .on the studsQG beyond the washers so thatwhen the binding nuts 30 are screwed upontthe studs the several parts will be securely clamped in position The structure last described contion :oi the box adjacent rrbnt-ispaeed from the rea-rorback =wall thereof. I

Secured to and. projecting inwardly from et blocks 31 that are :above the spring arms 25 of the fixed contacts. Studs 32project inwardly tromthe bloclrs3l to receive the folded back upper-end portion 33 of movable blades 34: that pivot upon studs 3-2 and at their lower ends are adapted to coact with and be moved into frictional contact with and between the spring arms 2,5 01 the respective fixed contacts. Intermediate their ends these blades 34 are operatively connected by pivots :35-to the inner faces of longitudinally reoiprocable links 36, by means of which the blades or arms 34 are simultaneously operated. The links 36 are of insulating material :and are connected at their ends nearest rock-shaft 15 by means of apivot stud 37 to theapertured bosses on the outer endsof arms 18. As seen, there are preferably two ofthese reciprocablc link-s 36, one mounted upon each side of the box and-each link is pivotally connected to a plurality of switch blades or arms 34; that are arranged upon its respective side of the box.

As hereinbefore stated the ends of the blades 34 adjacent their pivots have the folded-back portions 33 through which the pivots pass. The ends of the portions that are iolded back are bent laterally as at 38 to provide-means in the form of brackets or seats to which fuse-clips 39 are suitably secured. These bracket-s or seats upon one side of the structure project towards and are in aline nient *ith those upon the opposite side and the fuse clips as seen in Figure 2, are substan tially U-shaped and open upwardly so that the fuses are readily accessible when the-door isioyirmedf The itusc clips are mounted at the. connecting web of their U-shape formation so that the arms of the U constitute spring members to receive the ends of the fuses and said arms open outwardly towards the door or cover to permit ready removal or insertion of the fuses. The fuses by this arrangement are positioned a considerable distance from the contacts and the conductors or cables-so that liability of a person being injured from the latter is reduced to a minimum." By reference to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen there isconsiderable space in the central portion of the box, both between the oppositely arrangedelements of the switch and between the fuses and the bottom of the born-so that the cables and conductors may he readily-taken care of without the confusion that is usual inswitch boxes. The arrangement and disposition of the parts in the *mannerdescribed permits of quick assembly in manufacture because of the fact. that the parts are carried from the side walls of the box. By the arrangement herein dissite blade and the other "terminal contact thus creatingwhat is known 'asa solenoid. This sets upzastrong magnetic path parallel to thezswitch members-and causing vthe wellknown blow-out eflect -When=opening the switch under loadg'thereby ameliorating the usual excessive burningout of the contact. members.

m 'hat-Lclaim-a's'new is: Y

1. An elcotn'ic-switch comprising a boxlike housing and-closuretherefor, a plurality switch contacts mounted upon a wall of said housing, a correspondingnumber of blades pivotally mounted on. said wall and movable into and out ofengagement with said swit h contact, a corresponding plurality of similar switch contacts and 'blades mounted opposite the first-mentioned switch elements, a plurality ofconduct-ing elenients mounted upon and bridging said oppositely disposed blades. means connecting-each set-of blades, and devices common to both means for operating the latter to move said blades.

2. An'electric switch comprising a boxlike housing and closure therefor, a plurality of switch contacts mounted upon a wall of said housing, a corresponding number of blades pivotally mounted on said wall and movable into and out of engagement with said switch contacts, a correspondin pluralityofsimilar switch contacts and blades mounted opposite the first-mentioned switch elements, a plurality of conducting elements mounted upon and bridging said oppositely disposed blac es, :1 link for each set of blades that operatively connect the same, and a common rocking elementoperatively connecting said links whereby-to move all of the blades simultaneously.

3. An electric switch comprising a-boxlike housing and closure therefor, a plurality of switch contacts mounted upon a wall-of said housing, a corresponding number of blades pivotally mounted on said wall and movable into and out ofengagement with said switch contact, a corresponding plurality of similar switch contacts and blades mounted opposite the first-mentioned switch elements, a plurality of clips mounted on said blades,a pluralityof fusible conducting elements removably mounted in said clips and bridging said oppositely disposed blades, to vprovide electrical connection between the same, means connecting each set of blades, and devices common to both means for operating-the latter to move said blades. 1

4. Antelectric switch comprising a boxlike housing and closure therefor, a plurality of switch contacts mounted upon a wall of said housing, a corresponding number of blades pivotally mounted on said wall and movable into and out of engagement with said switch contact, a corresponding plurality of similar switch contacts and blades mounted opposite the first-mentioned switch elements, a plurality of clips mounted on said blades, a plurality of fusible conducting elements removably mounted in opposite pairs of clips and bridging said oppositely disposed blades, a link for each set of blades that operatively connect the same, and a common rocking element operatively connecting said links whereby to move all of the blades simultaneously.

5. An electric switch comprising substantially parallel supports, a plurality of fixed contacts arranged opposite each other upon the respective supports, a plurality of movable contacts pivotally mounted upon the respective supports one adjacent and looking with a respective fixed contact, means adjacent each support operatively connecting the respective movable contacts, and fusible means electrically connecting opposite pairs of movable contacts at the pivot of the latter.

6. An electric switch comprising substantially parallel supports, a plurality of fixed contacts arranged opposite each other upon the respective supports, a plurality of movable contacts pivotally mounted upon the respective supports one adjacent and coasting with a respective fixed contact, a longitudinally reciprocable bar adjacent each support opertively connected to the respective movable contacts, means for operating said bars, and removable fusible means electrically connecting opposite pairs of movable contacts at the pivots of the latter.

7. An electric switch comprising substantially parallel supports, a plurality of fixed contacts arranged opposite each other upon the respective supports, a plurality of movable contacts pivotally mounted upon the respective supportscme adjacent'and enacting with a respective fixed contact, a hmgitudinally reciprocable bar operatively connected to the respective series ofmovablc contacts and disposed alongside and winovable in planes parallel with the respective supports, means for reciprocating said-bars, and removable fuses formingelectrical connection between opposite movable contacts, said fuses'extending-between the pivots of the latter.

8. Anjelectric' switch comprising substantially parallel su'pports,-a plurality of fixed contacts arranged opposite each other upon the respective supports, a plurality ofmovable contacts pivotally mounted upon the respective supports one adjacent and coacting with a respective fixed contact, alongitudina ll reciprocalole bar, operatively connected to'the respective series of movable contacts and dis posedialongside andmoVable in planes"par-- allel with the respective supports, a rockshaft journaled in said supports and disposed transversely of said bars, arms extending from said shaft and operatively connected to the respective bars, and fuses removably carried by opposite movable contacts at the pivots of the latter and adapted to form electrical connection therebetween.

9. An electric switch comprising spaced stationary supporting plates arranged parallel and facing each other, a plurality of feed-contacts upon a face of one of said plates, a plurality of blades pivoted on said plate adjacent said feed-contacts, means connecting said blades, a plurality of dischargecontacts fixed on a face of the other plate, a plurality of blades pivoted on said other plate adjacent said feed-contacts, means connecting said last-mentionedblades, fuses connectin the blades on one plate with opposite blades on the other plate, and means for operating all of said blades simultaneously.

10. An electric switch comprising a housing having an open front and a closure therefor, insulating supporting plates arranged along the opposite walls of the housing between its closure and back, said plates being parallel and opposite each other, a plurality of feed-contacts fixed upon a face of one of said plates adjacent the back of the housing, a plurality of blades pivoted on said plate adjacent the closure, means connecting said blades, a plurality of discharge-contacts fixed on a face of the other plate, each contact being opposite a contact on the first-mentioned plate, a plurality of blades pivoted on said other plate adjacent the closure. means connecting said last-mentioned blades. fuses connecting the blades on one plate with opposite blades on the other plate, and means for operating all of said blades simultaneously.

ll. An electric switch comprising spaced stationary supporting plates arranged parallele and facing each other, a plurality of feed-contacts fixed upon a face of one of said plates, at pluritlity of blades pivoted on said plate-adjacent said feed-coutzmts, moans connecting said blades, a plurality of dischargecontacts fixed on a face of the other plate, a plurality of blades pivoted on said other plate adjacent said feed-contacts, means connecting said last mentioned blades, fuses conmeeting the blades on one plate with opposite blades on the other plate, said fuses being positioned at the pivots of said blades whereby to be capable ofrotativc movement only when said Zblades are operated, and means for operating all of said blades simultaneously.

12. An elect-ricswiteh comprising a hous ingrhavingan open front and a closure therefor, insulating supporting plates arranged along the opposite side walls of the housing between its closure and back, said plates being parallel and opposite each other, a. plurality of feod-contacts-fixed upon a face of one of said plates adjacent the back of the housing, a plurality of blades pivoted on said plate adjacent the closure moans COllmeeting said blades, a plurality of dischargecontacts fixed on a face of the other plate, each contact'being opposite acontact on the first-mentioned plate, a plurality ofbla-des pivoted on said other plate adjacent the closure, means connecting said last-mentioned blades, fuses connecting the blades on one plate with opposite blades on the other plate, said fuses being positioned-atthe pivots of said blades whereby to be capable of rotative movement only when said blades are operated, and means for operating all of said blades simultaneously.

Signed at Chicago, in the county-0f (look and State-of Illinois, this 9th day of March,

MARTIN 2 LUTHER 

